Sweet Spot

If you love chocolate, pack your bags and head for Pennsylvania. I’ve gotten word from a friend who works at the Hershey Resort about a month long series of events and activities that begins on Friday, Jan 30th called Chocolate Covered February. She even sent photos from last years doings to lure me into coming.

The hotel, lodge, and museum located in the hometown of candy kisses, and just a six hour drive from Cleveland, are offering an irresistible array of chocolate infused entertainment: tastings, themed dinners, chef demos, and dessert buffets. Book a room and spend your days and nights filling truffles, learning about pods and nibs, attending cooking school, and going cocoa crazy at Sunday brunch. '

What really grabs my attention are the more adult pleasures. I’m talking alcohol not anything x-rated: sessions for sampling chocolate paired with wines, rum, or cognac; and Saturday cocktail classes that promise to make me a master of the chocolate martini.

Since everybody knows- and scientific studies confirm- that women crave chocolate more than any other food, I can’t think of a better spot for a girlfriends’ getaway. On the other hand the chemical stew that is chocolate is said to be a stimulant and an aphrodisiac, prompting energy surges and a sense of lightheaded giddiness that feels a lot like love. So this could be just the thing for you and your sweetie. As for me- I could be happy all by my lonesome as long as I have a reservation at the Spa for a whipped cocoa bath, a chocolate bean polish, and a 50 minute cocoa massage.

Christmas (Ale) in January

Since Cleveland Magazine endeavors to serve as this city's definitive guide to the joys of Cleveland beer, we feel compelled to report this important find:

Harvey's, the hotel bar at the Hilton Garden Inn at Carnegie and East 9th, is still serving Great Lakes Christmas Ale on tap.

Careful, though. A month after Christmas, we'd forgotten what a woozy kick a single pint of the stuff packs. (7.5% alcohol is like two beers in one.)

New Year lion dances

With the Chinese New Year approaching on Jan. 26, George Kwan is diligently sewing, painting, gluing and even making new drumsticks in his west side Cleveland home.

Kwan, one of Cleveland Magazine’s 2009 Most Interesting People in this month's issue, lives a double life this time of year as team leader for his family-run Kwan Lion Dance Team and as a 14-year veteran of the Cleveland Police.

The Kwan family task before the Chinese holiday and Year of the Ox begins is tedious: repair a roughly nine-foot long lion costume with intricate color patterns and a cape for future dances.

“The long costumes are a bear,” Kwan says of the repair work. Kwan has five Lion costumes in different conditions and a kid lion costume, too. The team uses one lion for shows, Kwan said. 

The lion repair work has kept Kwan so busy (roughly nine hours a day), he turned down an opportunity to work as a police officer, backing up the Washington D.C. police, at President Barack Obama’s inauguration on Jan. 20. 

“With all the New Years prep, there is no way I could go,” he says.

With the help of his family, the preparation needs to be precise, because a flawed “lion” dance performance can bring bad luck. A flawless “lion” dance can ward off evil spirits and can bring good fortune, happiness, wealth and prosperity.

The Kwan Lion Dance Team is slated for 19 local performances, with each lasting roughly 30 minutes, in the weeks ahead. The team, started by George’s late father, a Chinese immigrant, includes Kwan and 12 relatives.

The team’s scheduled performances are:

Jan. 24: Pearl of the Orient, 1 p.m., 19300 Detroit Road, Rocky River, (440) 333-9902.

Jan. 25: House of Hunan Fairlawn, 2 p.m., 2717 W. Market Street, Fairlawn, (330) 864-8215.

Jan. 25: Li Wah, 6:30 p.m., 2999 Payne Ave., Cleveland, (216) 696-6556.

Jan. 26: Li Wah, 11 a.m.

Jan. 26: Hunan By the Falls, 5 p.m., 508 E. Washington Street, Chagrin Falls, (440) 247-0808.

Jan. 26: House of Hunan Medina, 6:30 p.m., 18 Public Square, Medina, (330) 722-1899.

Jan. 27: Li Wah, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 28: Imperial Dragon Mentor, 7 p.m., 8310 Tyler Boulevard, Mentor (440-974-8838.

Jan. 31: Li Wah, 11 a.m.

Jan. 31: House of Hunan Akron, 2 p.m., 12 East Exchange Street, Akron (330) 253-1888.

Jan. 31: Hunan Solon, 5 p.m., 6050 Enterprise Parkway, Solon (440) 248-8836.

Jan. 31: Bo Loong, 6 p.m., 3922 St. Clair Avenue, Cleveland (216) 391-3113.

Feb. 1: Tink Hall Market, 3 p.m., 1735 East 36th Street, Cleveland. 

Feb. 1: Imperial Dragon Mentor, 7 p.m.

Feb. 7: Bo Loong, noon.

Feb. 7: King Wah, 3 p.m., 20668 Center Ridge Road, Rocky River, (440) 331-0330.

Feb. 8: House of Hunan Medina, 4 p.m.

Feb. 8: Imperial Dragon Mentor, 7 p.m.

Feb. 15: Imperial Dragon Mentor, 7 p.m.

Oh Mo, He Didn't

Yes, he did. Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Mo Williams helped his team to victory over the Portland Trail Blazers last night with 33 points — a season high for the Jackson, Miss. native. In his first year with the Cavs, Williams is proving to be the answer to the team's often lacking offense behind LeBron James (who scored 34 points respectively). Not only was Williams 12 of 19 from the field, he scored 10 points in the fourth quarter with two three-pointers in the final two minutes of the game. Next up? The Cavs head to Oakland to take on the Golden State Warriors on Friday night.

Photo courtesy NBA photos/Getty Images

Generous bosses

Publisher Frank Bird was digging around in an old office yesterday, and found a gem. He realized he could give me a big upgrade. He had seen what I'd been writing on during my month of giving up technology :

While no one else in the office would want this find he made, he knew it would be an upgrade for me. Heck, it has spell check!


Things are looking up.

To read about my month of giving up all technology that wasn't in common use at the time of my birth, pick up January's Cleveland Magazine or click here.

Since you're going to be drinking beer anyway...

Samuel Adams sent Cleveland Magazine over two new beers that will be on shelves next month, an Imperial White and an Imperial Stout.

Before I give you my thoughts, some biases to get out of the way: In general, if I'm not drinking a microbrew, I'm drinking Sam Adams. In general, I really like the taste of their beers. I also prefer hefeweizens, anything overly hoppy and I like ales.

The Imperial White is very smooth, and should be drunk out of a glass. I noticed a little yeast sediment in the bottle when I held it up to the light. It had a hint of citrus — maybe orange? — and it goes down too easy considering it has 9 percent alcohol.

Verdict: Definitely a good beer. I'm sure more will end up in my fridge at some point.

The Imperial Stout had me a little nervous. I like some stouts, but they're not what I'm going to order. The beer is not just dark, it is black. The first taste you get is sweet, coffee-like. Then a tiny bit of bitter hits you. I really enjoyed it, which means drinkers who prefer stouts will probably think it was too sweet and not bitter enough.

Verdict: I enjoyed it but not enough to buy.

Fork in the Road

There’s lots of advice for managing your money and weathering the economic turmoil that has most of us anxious in Suze Orman’s 2009 Action Plan. Among the financial planning guru’s prescriptions is to stop going out to eat for a month. Bad idea. There are many smart ways to save money but this isn’t one of them. At least that’s what some of us think. I give you two opinions on the subject.

The first is from Douglas Katz, Owner of fire food and drink and President of Cleveland Independents
As a Suze Orman fan and a chef/independent restaurateur, I must take issue with her recommendation to avoid eating out as part of her 2009 action plan. In principal, avoiding eating out may provide a short-term solution for select consumers, however, it is crucial to view this decision in term of both its short and long-term impact on the economy.
According to All Business, a D&B Company:
• Restaurant-industry employment will reach 13.3 million by 2012.
• In 2010, the restaurant industry will operate more than 1 million units and post sales of $577 billion
• More than eight out of 10 salaried employees at table-service restaurants started as hourly employees
• One third of all adults in the United States have worked in the restaurant industry at some time during their lives
• The number of African-American-owned and women-owned eating and drinking place firms increased at double digit rating during the past decade
• Eating and drinking places rank second, based on sales volume, among retail establishments owned by African-Americans and Hispanics
• Eating and drinking places employ more minority managers than any other industry
With independent restaurants closing on a daily basis due to lack of volume, Suze’s advice can only serve to further impact this situation. It is my hope that she will investigate this situation in a more global manner and ultimately discuss the fact that, in this particular instance, she may have jumped to a conclusion that does not best serve the consumer.

Katz has assembled some important facts and figures. My views are less researched and more personal. With vacation plans on indefinite hold, eating out is one form of fun I can still afford. A restaurant meal may be a luxury, but it’s one that's within reach for me, when so many things are not, and the experience usually lifts my spirits. After working all day or all week, it’s like a mini-holiday just to sit back and be served. It feels good to relax, get out of the house, and put my cares aside for an hour or two. And in these hard times, I need that.

And let’s not forget that those people taking care of us in a restaurant-from the servers and bussers to the prep guys and dishwashers in the back, are our friends, neighbors, family-members, somebody’s son or daughter, all just trying to earn a living like you and me. They live in northeast Ohio and spend their money here so that means they’re helping to keep all kinds of other people employed. We’re an economic eco-system, a community, with every part inter-related and inter-dependent. Now’s the time to pull together, not turn our backs on one another.

And think about this. Virtually every charitable organization and worthy cause in this town enlist the support of local restaurant owners and chefs for their events. They are a regular presence at fundraisers, DONATING time, talent, and countless pans and platters of wonderful food to support the good causes the rest of us champion . Now it’s our turn to support them. If we don’t many will go out of business. We’ll miss them when they’re gone and lose valuable cultural and community resources.